Rain In The Desert
by eiradis
Summary: What if there was an alternate universe where Severus and Hermione's roles were reversed? How would Professor Granger deal with an amorous seventh-year Severus? Written for Ms Figg's 'In Another Alternate Universe' challenge at aff. net back in 2008. AU!


**A/N **

This story requires some explanation. I wrote it as a response to Ms_Figg's prompt 'In Other Alternate Universes' back in 2008 on AFF . The premise is that Hermione and Severus's roles are reversed- she is the snarky Potions teacher and Deatheater turned spy, he is the know-it-all Gryffindor sidekick of Harry Potter. It was one of the very first stories I wrote and I had forgotten about it, until I stubled upon it today. It might be a bit confusing if you haven't read the original story 'In an Alternate Universe' by Ms_Figg, but I decided to post it anyway. Have fun and let me know what you think.

* * *

**Rain In The Desert**

Professor Hermione Granger was feeling bored; incredibly and astonishingly bored. One would think that after surviving the fall of Voldemort, she would be one happy witch—alive, in one piece and not locked up in Azkaban. The truth was that after the Snake Abomination finally had the grace to kick the bucket, Professor Granger found her life duller than ever. She continued teaching in Hogwarts for the remainder of the year; most of the students had returned to finish the academic year. Most of the Muggleborns detained by Voldemort's regime had returned as well, keeping a tight schedule to make up for the lost months. Not Potter or Weasley, of course. The little wankers were offered complimentary NEWTs and they gladly accepted.

Her thoughts turned to Potter's know-it-all friend, Severus Snape. The boy hadn't accepted his complimentary NEWTs and had stayed in school to take the exams properly. He had asked for extra credit in Potions and she had allowed him to brew Veritaserum in her private lab. As much as it pained her to praise a Gryffindor, Snape had a real affinity to potion making. He brewed with a natural ease that she herself hadn't possessed until the last years of her apprenticeship. He visited the lab diligently even after he graduated a week ago, in order to complete his project. She briefly considered taking him on as her own apprentice; that would make her life a bit more interesting, having someone with brains to talk to, for a change.

Her post-Voldemort life had the benefit of NOT going to Death Eater meetings, listening to the insane rants of a power-crazed maniac and taking an occasional bout of _Crucio_. However, the spying had filled up a large portion of her time and her thoughts. Now that she didn't have to do that, she found her life…bland. While the school year lasted, she had the pleasures of making little children cry and humiliating snogging couples. Now that the castle was deserted, she felt a kind of hollowness that even a good book or a challenging potion couldn't quite dispel. All the other staff was on holiday. She didn't have anyone to go with, and she didn't particularly care for staying in her family house, it kept too many bad memories. So she was all alone in the blasted castle. She could get pissed and sing dirty songs from the Astronomy Tower and not a soul would be there to see…

A slow smile crept on Hermione's lips. She opened a small closet in the back of her quarters and rummaged through all the junk she kept there. Finally she fished out a large box. She opened the lid and the smile became a huge grin, a sight that would cause most of her students a coronary or at least a nervous breakdown. Two objects were removed from the box, dusted and set on the table; a record player and a case with records with music from the 60's and 70's. Hermione had stashed them away the night she took the Dark Mark. She had known than any association with the Muggle World had to be forgotten. Now she was very glad that she never threw them away. She poured herself a large dose of Ogden's Finest, muttered the charm to start the record player and picked up the first record. Frank Zappa. Perfect.

* * *

Professor Granger would have been surprised to know that she wasn't in fact alone in the castle. In Gryffindor Tower resided one lonely Severus Snape. The boy had decided to stay in the castle for several days and finish brewing the Veritaserum. It also gave him the opportunity to observe the Potions Mistress. He found her a very pleasant object for observation and, given the chance, would do much more than observe. Professor Granger was the dictionary definition of "untouchable". That made the young Gryffindor even more determined to find a chink in her armor and insinuate himself through it. For now, he had succeeded in getting extra credit work and almost completing it. The professor had said that apparently he wasn't such a waste of time and ingredients as his schoolmates. From her mouth, that meant he was a bloody genius!

Severus looked through his notes again and consulted the Marauder's Map he had from Harry. Professor Granger was in her quarters, two doors away from her lab. He needed to sneak down and add an ingredient to the Veritaserum that would reduce the brewing time by a whole week. He wanted to surprise his teacher so he would do it secretly. Hopefully she would be asleep.

As he descended the stairs to the dungeon, Severus heard music. At first he thought his imagination was playing tricks on him, but as he proceeded the music got louder. There was also singing, quite out of tune too. He knew that the only other person in the castle was Professor Granger, but she definitely didn't give the impression of listening to loud music and singing along.

Severus reached the lab door and saw that the professor's door was ajar and the music and singing were indeed coming from her quarters. He paused for a moment to listen and grinned. What do you know; she was listening to "The Doors"! He couldn't resist approaching the door and sneaking a peek. The sight made him double over in silent mirth…after the shock wore off.

Professor Granger was dancing on the sofa wearing a green dressing gown, with a bottle of Firewhiskey in one hand. And she was singing very loudly.

"_I'm the crawlin' king snake, and I rule my den,"_ she screeched, waving the bottle in the air. Then she raised her left arm, where the faded Dark Mark marred her skin, and saluted the morbid symbol with the Firewhiskey.

"Cheers to you, King Snake Master! Oh, oops, you are not my Master anymore, because you are DEAD!"

Then she collapsed on the sofa and cackled. At that precise moment her eyes locked with Severus'. Her smile actually didn't falter but grew wider. Severus gulped; if the professor was smiling, he was in a world of trouble.

* * *

Hermione Granger was having the time of her life. After twenty long lonely years of spying, getting pissed in her room and listening to loud music was definitely a wild party. After a heartfelt rendition of "Crawlin' King Snake" and a vindictive toast to Voldemort she found herself staring in the wide eyes of a very shocked but clearly amused Severus Snape. Her initial reaction was to hex the boy for being there and ruining her fun, but then another idea surfaced in her tipsy brain. Hexing was expected from her, but if she invited him in, now_ that_ would disturb him immensely. She smiled at him and gladly noticed a look of anxiety crossing his face. Good.

Hermione beckoned to the boy to enter. He stepped forward cautiously, probably ready to bolt. She looked at him and twirled her wand between her fingers.

"Well, Mr. Snape, I was under the impression that I was alone in the castle. As it seems you are here too, why don't you join me for a drink? It's no good drinking alone."

Severus still looked worried, but nevertheless sat down next to her and accepted a generous serving of Firewhiskey. He sipped his drink carefully and tried to explain himself.

"I'm sorry to intrude, Professor. I wanted to check on the Veritaserum and I heard the music, I apologize but I really needed to add something to the brew…"

Hermione listened to the boy's babbling with an amused smile, noticing him flinch every time her wand pointed at him. He wasn't making much sense but it was a pleasure listening to his voice. Severus Snape had a very deep voice for a seventeen-year-old and said voice had a silky undertone that was causing some weird sensations stirring in long forgotten areas of her body. In her drunken state, Hermione had no qualms perving over an ex-student. For once she took a good look at him and noticed that his shoulders had broadened and his face had lost some of its youthful softness in favour of sharper, more masculine lines. The Muggle jeans and shirt he wore complimented his figure. His nose was large as always, but she didn't mind. She thought the nose gave character to the face, and Severus had character in heaps, she had to give him that. She frowned…when had she begun thinking of the boy as "Severus"?

"Professor? Are you all right?"

She snapped out of her reverie and looked at him again. He was staring at her with his huge, dark eyes, head cocked slightly to the side in question, his long, black hair framing his face. Hermione had a sudden urge to touch him, but pushed it away and leaned back on the sofa, muttering, "I'm fine."

She heard a stifled gasp and looked in his direction. The boy looked flushed and he was staring at her with an odd gleam in his eyes. Then she realized that her gown had opened quite a bit and she was showing a lot of skin. Severus was staring at her breasts and it seemed he couldn't avert his eyes. They had become darker than usual and she recognized lust when she saw it. Hermione smirked. "_So, the little Gryffindor had the hots for his Potions Professor. Let's see what will come out of this…"_

* * *

Severus couldn't look away. He knew it was dreadfully rude to stare, but the situation was not exactly ordinary. He was having a drink with Professor Granger in her private quarters and she was probably going to hex him anyway for seeing her like this. So he decided to look at the tantalizing patch of white skin as long as he was allowed to. To his surprise she didn't seem angry when she caught him looking. Instead she scooted closer to him.

"Do you like what you see?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and leaning forward.

Severus was suffering from a hormone surge at the close up and barely managed a strangled, "Yes."

She licked her lips. "Would you like to touch?"

This time his tongue betrayed him, so all he could do was nod. She took one of his hands and placed it on her breast. Severus's eyes almost rolled up in the sensation of touching her soft skin and feeling her breast yield under his fingers. He still wasn't sure what she was up to, but there was no way in hell he would stop until she asked him to. He looked at her face, eyes hooded, and a small smile playing on her lips. Encouraged, he slipped his hand under her robes and found a gloriously naked, full breast and a hardened nipple that almost seemed to beg for attention. He hesitated for a second and brushed it with his thumb. He was rewarded with a soft moan as she arched into his hand and hissed, "More!"

Severus pulled her gown apart to the waist and groaned at the sight of her naked round breasts. He reached out with both his hands and exhaled in awe, "Oh, Professor."

Her eyes snapped open and she growled. "Addressing me by my title is not appropriate in this situation. I believe we should revert to first-name basis for the time being, Severus."

Hearing his name from his Professor's lips almost made Severus burst out of his pants. He took a long shuddering breath in an attempt to calm himself and consented. "I agree…Hermione."

* * *

Hermione was impressed. He didn't bolt and he actually managed to pronounce her name without much stuttering. Then she took a long appraising look at him and noticed how his hands were squeezing the life out of her dressing gown and his breath was labored. She suddenly took pity on the boy. He was trying to present a brave façade, but in truth he was just that—a boy.

"Have you ever had sex?" she asked in a softer voice. Severus nodded briefly, avoiding her eyes.

"Once. It wasn't really any good. It was dark and we had to be quick because someone could catch us. It didn't feel much better than a wank." He realized what he had just said and his eyes widened. Hermione looked at his horrified expression and laughed. His hurt look made her explain.

"I wasn't laughing at you, Severus. You look as if you just admitted to committing murder. Don't worry; I have a pretty good idea what young boys usually do during their morning showers."

He finally looked back at her and she was stunned by the longing clearly written on his face.

"I really wanted to do it with you, Professor; but I never thought you would let me."

Hermione decided to throw caution out of the window and abandoned her ideas of toying with the boy. Bloody hell, he was of age, he wasn't really her student anymore except for the Veritaserum she had to evaluate, and he was very clearly willing. They could have a good time tonight without anybody knowing. Even if Dumbledore somehow found out, he could bite her arse; she was tired of teaching anyway. She pried his fingers from her gown and stood up.

"Come on. Let's take this to the bedroom then. And remember, I am not your professor, even though I probably will be teaching you a thing or two."

She turned off the music and strode towards the door of her bedroom, leaving an open-mouthed Severus still sitting on the sofa. Pausing at the door, she looked at him with some irritation. She shrugged off her gown, remaining only in a pair of silk knickers and stared him down.

"Well? Are you coming or shall I ward my door and go to sleep?" Her words sent the young wizard stumbling over the sofa in his hurry to follow her. Hermione smirked at his enthusiasm and flicked her wand to light the candles in the dark room. She felt Severus's warm breath at her neck and pointed to the huge four-poster.

"Get over there and undress. I'd like to see what I'm dealing with."

Severus gulped audibly, but his eyes grew even more heated as he walked over to the bed and started unbuttoning his shirt. His eyes were roaming over her body and judging by the obvious tent in his trousers, he liked what he saw. Hermione wasn't disappointed herself. When his shirt finally came off she could feel moisture pooling between her legs as she observed his broad shoulders and faint smattering of hairs on his chest. He still had the lean body of a youth, but by Merlin, what a man he would become one day!

Severus was smirking; he probably could see the appreciation on her face. He stood up straighter and took off his trousers and boxers together. Hermione's chin dropped and her eyes threatened to pop out of her head. Bloody hell, he was no boy, at least in the equipment department. He wasn't exactly huge, but having in mind he was still growing, he probably would be in a few years' time. A light cough interrupted her train of thought and her eyes snapped up to his face. The smirk had become a wide grin and she realized Severus had seen her ogling his goods shamelessly. Then, to her horror and dismay, she actually _blushed._ _"What the hell?! Nasty ex-Death eaters don't _blush_; even when confronted with a surprisingly nice cock."_ She tried a sneer in order to gain the lost ground, but he had already noticed her flushed cheeks and was advancing slowly on her. There was something in the way he moved, similar to his voice. It evoked disturbingly feline images of sleek black fur and white teeth. He stopped exactly in front of her.

"I think you apparently like what you see. Would you like to touch?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, still grinning. Hermione narrowed her eyes at his cheekiness and decided it was high time to prove that she still had the upper hand. With a swift motion she wrapped one hand around his cock and the other cupped his sac. Severus groaned and his knees bucked. When she stroked him lightly, he closed his eyes and purred. Hermione smiled. _The feline reference seems more and more suitable._ She played with him for a moment, delighted by the strangled sounds escaping his throat, and then she let off. He was young and she didn't want to push him. Spilling in her hand would probably embarrass him and he would get cold feet; she didn't want that. For the first time in many years, she had a young, delicious and willing wizard in her bedroom; she wasn't about to let the chance slip.

* * *

Severus was extremely relieved when he felt Hermione's hand retreat, for her touches had nearly brought him to completion, and he wanted to spend himself inside the witch. She was staring at him with a hint of amusement in her amber eyes; she seemed to realize that he needed a moment to compose himself.

After he managed to slow down the blood bumping through his veins, he looked at her and asked, "What do we do now?"

Hermione covered her eyes with her hand and groaned, "Severus, try acting a bit more grownup! When you ask questions like this I feel like I'm robbing the cradle." She took his hand and dragged him towards the bed. She lay down on the coverlet and closed her eyes.

"Do whatever pleases you."

Severus didn't waste time, easing his lean body next to her and smoothing his hand over a breast. The content sound she made encouraged him and he leaned down to taste a nipple. When Hermione bucked against him, he was sure he was doing the right thing and proceeded with enthusiasm to touch, lick and suck on her beautiful breasts. He caressed the side of her body and squeezed a buttock. She wasn't rail-thin like the few girls he had touched; she had the body of a real woman-soft and rounded in all the right places.

Hermione didn't seem to mind his touching; in fact it appeared that she was enjoying herself. Then he dared to sneak a hand to the juncture of her thighs and his eyes closed with satisfaction. Inexperienced as he was, he knew that the slippery wetness that met his fingers meant that she was really responding to him. When he touched the small bundle of flesh protruding between her labia, she actually lifted her hips from the bed, grinding into his hand. Experimenting, Severus rubbed the slippery bud in a circle and Hermione dug her nails in his back, moaning with pleasure. He hadn't even realized when she had put her arms around him. She opened her eyes and looked at him with a heated gaze.

"If you really haven't done this a lot, I must say that you are a natural not only in Potions."

Severus had waited for years to hear her verbally praise his brewing abilities, but at that particular moment, he cherished much more her comment on his prowess in bed. He continued to tease her slick folds and dipped a finger in her opening. A fresh surge of wetness met his digit and his sensitive nose caught a whiff of her scent. He growled; suddenly he wanted desperately to see her, to taste her, to explore completely the place where their bodies would join. Crawling down the bed and splaying her thighs open, he held his breath; she was wide open to him, her pussy glistening with arousal, her clit swollen and begging for attention. He lowered his head and took a tentative lick. Hermione locked her fingers in his hair and bucked against his face. When he caught her clit between his lips and swiped it with his tongue, she almost screamed. He looked up at her; she was staring at him with wild eyes.

"Who taught you to do that?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"I haven't done it before. As you said, I must be a natural." He smirked and continued to lick and suck on her pussy. The only girl who had let him have sex with her had been terribly afraid that someone could see them. They were in a dark alcove and everything happened in the course of ten minutes, leaving him spent, but not satisfied. He had wanted to touch, to see, to taste, but she didn't allow it. Now, he had the real woman of his fantasies writhing under his tongue, and he realized he wasn't really sorry that his only tryst hadn't lasted. As far as he was concerned, this was his first time.

* * *

Hermione's head was swimming in a sea of bliss. She kept thinking _"If he is like this with no experience, what about after several years?"_ She shuddered at the thought. The boy was driving her crazy with his tongue, but she wanted more, she needed to be filled. So with some regret, she extracted her fingers from his hair and touched his shoulder. Severus looked up at her, his mouth and chin wet from her juices and his eyes feral with desire.

"I believe that is enough foreplay. Come here!" she whispered.

His eyes widened and he climbed up her body until his eyes were level with hers. The lust in his expression faded somewhat, allowing some discomfort to show.

"I...I'm not sure I'm going to last much, Pro...Hermione." He lowered his eyes. "I don't want to disappoint you, but I don't think I can hold it for long."

Hermione's expression softened. Suddenly she remembered the uncertainty of her own first attempts, her desire to please and her fear of being inadequate. She surprised herself and caressed his cheek.

"Just go ahead, Severus. We'll make do."

Calmed by her words, Severus took a deep breath and positioned himself between her thighs. When the head of his cock nudged her opening, he gritted his teeth and hissed. Pushing inside her inch by inch, his breathing became erratic, coming in short gasps, and a vein pulsed madly on his throat. Hermione was so transfixed by the sweet agony clearly written on his face, that she almost dismissed her own pleasure. But when he was completely encased inside her, she could not ignore the exhilarating sensation of feeling full to the seams and she let out a long shuddering moan. Her long-neglected inner muscles clenched involuntarily around the intruder. Above her, Severus's eyes rolled back and his hips jerked against her.

"Hermione…I can't…please, I'm sorry!" he whimpered and she felt hotness flood her insides. The boy collapsed over her, pinning her to the bed; he wasn't too heavy, so she didn't complain. She understood perfectly that after all the teasing, it was admirable that he lasted even this long. Only when a warm drop fell on her arm, he realized that he was crying. A warm and unfamiliar feeling rose inside her chest, clamping her throat and making it difficult to breathe. She didn't want to feel this way, but she couldn't help it. She knew how he felt; humiliation had been her companion since childhood. So Hermione reached out and gently pulled his face off her shoulder to look at him.

* * *

Severus hadn't felt this bad in his life, ever. He had the perfect opportunity with the perfect woman and he had wasted it. "_How can she want a silly schoolboy that can't last even a whole minute?" _was the only thought in his head. Numbed from the utter humiliation, he didn't even realize he was crying when she cupped his face and looked at him. He didn't see the expected sneer of contempt when he finally met her eyes. They were full of warmth and tenderness, something he never thought he could see there. It was as if the numerous masks she was wearing—the Deatheater, the spy, the grumpy Potions Mistress—were lifted, to expose the woman underneath. She wiped a stray tear with her thumb and smiled at him; the first genuine smile he had ever seen on her face.

"Severus, don't be ashamed. It's only natural; you cannot force your body to do the impossible. I'm not disappointed. This is not worth your tears."

At this point Severus felt that his cheeks were wet. Utterly mortified, he hastily wiped them with his hand. She stilled his fingers.

"Don't be ashamed about that either. Against all common belief, boys do cry. We all have emotions and this is one way to express them. It's good when you can cry. It gets bad when you cannot anymore, even if you want it with all your being and the tears won't come, as if your soul has dried up. That's what you should be afraid of."

Severus looked into her amber eyes, saw the underlying pain and realized she was talking about herself. All his self-pity evaporated, replaced with compassion for the strong woman beneath him, a woman who had chosen to reveal her softer side to none other than him. He unconsciously mirrored her gesture and cupped her cheek, forgetting about all the differences in age and standing, feeling that in that moment, they were indeed equals.

"Even in the driest desert it rains sometimes, and then some of the most beautiful flowers bloom."

With these words he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her for the first time. After a startled pause, she responded and soon tongues were caressing lips, touching, tasting, each lost in the unique flavour of the other's mouth. Severus felt himself harden inside her—he lacked stamina because of his youth, but he recovered quickly. And the whole experience had become something much more than a shag with his dream woman. He wanted Hermione to feel desired and needed; he wanted to exorcise out of her the idea that her soul was dry and dead. He kissed her lips and her throat, he caressed every inch of skin he could reach, worshipping her body while he moved inside her with slow, steady strokes. The urgent need for completion had disappeared and he felt as if he could last hours if needed. Her throaty moans and the scratching of her nails on his back only steeled his determination. He changed the angle of his thrusts and was rewarded with a high keening wail. It seemed he had hit a sweet spot. Raising himself on his arms, he continued to thrust at the same angle and looked at her face.

* * *

Hermione was staring at him with awe. She couldn't believe that the insecure boy in her bed had turned into this…this incubus! Gone were the shyness and embarrassment in his eyes. Now she could see only desire and fierce determination. He continued stroking her most sensitive spot, with increasing force and speed. She felt a telltale ripple in her insides, stronger than ever before. It seemed that Severus felt it too, for he sped up even more. The tight knot in her abdomen pulsed stronger and stronger until she felt she would shatter in a million pieces. With the first wave of her orgasm she sank her nails in his shoulders, holding on for dear life, and screamed his name as pleasure fired up every nerve in her body. Through her bliss she faintly heard him shout his release, and then there was only blackness.

* * *

Severus stared at the woman sleeping soundly in his arms. He felt slightly smug—his first real sexual experience and he had made his partner pass out. But the real reason he felt elated were the tears drying on Hermione's cheeks and the look of adoration and pure bliss in her eyes just before her pleasure washed her away. His own orgasm had been pretty earth-shaking, but the physical pleasure paled in comparison to the warmth in his heart. Even if she denied it in the morning, she had opened up to him; he would never forget that.

Severus sighed with regret and eased off the bed, covering her with a conjured blanket. Hermione was a private woman and even after the established connection, he was sure she would need her space when she woke up. He picked up a piece of blank parchment from her desk and wrote a note. After leaving it on the pillow, he tiptoed out of the room and went to Gryffindor Tower to sleep. Real sex was bloody exhausting!

* * *

Hermione woke up better rested than she had felt in years. She rolled over and gasped; the soreness between her legs flooded her with memories of the night before. She closed her eyes and tried to set in order her screaming thoughts. _"I did _that_…with _him…_and it was…_WOW_! He made me _pass out_!" _Then the conversation between them came back to her and she groaned into the pillow. Bloody shite, what had made her speak to the boy about that? After a moment, the answer was obvious—on some unconscious level, she believed that he would understand. And he had…

"…_Even in the driest desert it rains sometimes, and then some of the most beautiful flowers bloom…"_

Her hand touched something; she opened her eyes and found a piece of parchment on the pillow. When she took it, she couldn't force back her smile and immediately frowned—the skin on her face felt taut and uncomfortable. She touched her cheek and stilled: unbelievable as it was, she was touching dried tear marks.

"_I don't know how I should address you, because it is already morning, and we agreed on first-name basis only for the night. I only want to thank you for letting me in…in every sense. I don't know how you feel about everything, and I didn't want to impose. This is the only reason I left; it wasn't easy, believe me. _

_I have designed an improvement of Veritaserum that could shorten the brewing time by a whole week but I didn't manage to add the necessary ingredient last night. I got sidetracked by some of my favourite music and a very beautiful woman. I am not the least bit sorry that I will spend more time in the castle with you; I hope you aren't as well. _

_If you think we made a mistake and you don't want to talk about it, just snarl at me as usual when I come to the lab and I won't say a word. But I will always cherish the memory that I helped bring rain to the desert."_

Real, conscious tears streamed down Hermione's face when she finished reading. She flipped the note around and couldn't help laughing through her tears. On the parchment a Wizarding drawing of a desert flower opened its petals to full bloom time and time again.

* * *

Severus had butterflies in his stomach as he neared the potions lab. Steadying his weakened knees, he summed up his resolve and knocked.

"Enter!" she barked from inside and his heart sank. He had really hoped she wouldn't shut him off; apparently she regretted last night. He entered and saw her in her usual place, brewing with her back to him.

She spoke without turning around. "I have arranged for a Ministry-employed Potions Master to evaluate your Veritaserum. She will arrive in an hour or so to check your progress."

Severus's shoulders slumped. She hated him; he had ruined everything. Devastated, he barely found his voice, "If you think it's for the best, Professor…"

Hermione interrupted him, her back still to him," It is for the best, because otherwise it would be unethical, Severus." She finally turned around and his heart threatened to leap out of his chest. She wasn't sneering and her eyes weren't cold; they twinkled with mischief. In two long strides he was beside her, his long arms embraced her and he let out a long sigh.

"Don't do that again. I thought you hated me and it ripped my heart out."

She squeezed him tightly. "I only wanted to tease you for a moment. We have a lot to talk about, but it will have to wait. Now I have a potion to attend to and you have to prepare all your notes for the Ministry evaluator."

"What are you brewing?" he asked, peeking in her cauldron.

"Contraceptive potion." she answered, stirring vigorously.

Severus blanched and gasped. "Didn't you take some last night? How could I forget the charm, I'm such a twit!"

Hermione interrupted his self-berating with a hand pressed on his mouth. She looked at him, her lips curling into a smirk.

"Of course I cast a charm. This batch is for tonight…and the nights after that."

Severus gaped at the witch as she returned to brewing. Little by little a huge grin spread on his face. Life was good.

* * *

A/N Beta credits should go to Ms_Figg, because she edited this when I posted it first. Crawlin' King Snake belongs to The Doors.


End file.
